প্রকাশ: 21/03/2022
Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina today formally inaugurated the country's biggest Payra 1320 MW
Thermal Power Plant, constructed at a cost of around Tk20,000 crore at Patuakhali's Kalapara
upazila.
She also declared 100% electrification across the country as
the first South Asian nation.
With the opening of the first coal-fired Ultra Supercritical
Technology power plant, coastal neighbourhoods of Payra and the "daughter
of the sea" famed Kuakata in Patuakhali are expected to take the driver's
seat in the country's journey of economic growth.
The area is poised to become a nucleus for regional
communication and trade with India, China, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka once the
government's ambitious rail and road projects centring the southern region are
implemented.
Payra has the potential to become an important port as a
transit point on the Silk Route by sea and a global trade hub as the government
plans on building the region as one of the major economic corridors of the
country by establishing direct road and rail communications with the capital
Dhaka and the rest of the country and thus establishing connectivity with
India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.
Earlier, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid said the
project has been completed ahead of schedule and saved $100 million.
The first 660 MW unit of the power plant went into
commercial operation in May 2020, utilising the 400 kv Payra-Gopalganj Power
Transmission while the second one started production in December last year.
Besides, the country's biggest coal-fired power plant has
been set up in Payra. The construction of a 163-kilometre transmission line
from the power station to Gopalganj grid has already been completed while the
construction of a 75km line from Gopalganj to Aminbazar of Dhaka is in progress
and slated for completion by December this year.
The electricity generated at the plant is being supplied
through submarine cables to 25,358 households in various chars of Rangabali
upazila, Patuakhali, which is surrounded by the sea and rivers. Through this,
the government is inching towards achieving the target of 100% electrification.
At present, 1,000MW of power is being generated
experimentally from this 1,320MW plant.
Barishal Divisional Commissioner Md Amin Ul Ahsan said
centering Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant near the Payra Seaport, the
economic activities of the people in this area have already been accelerated.
Noting that the activities of setting up an economic zone in
the area, he said site has already been selected and the process of land
acquisition is underway, since the government has a huge plan centering the
southern part of the country.
Apart from the 1320MW thermal power plant, the commissioner
said, the construction work of another power plant is underway while the
government has also a plan to build a 1320MW power plant and a solar system
power plant here.
"This region would be turned into a power hub by the
next five to ten years," he added.
This coal-fueled power plant, generally known as baseload
power plant that operates continuously round the clock, has been built as the
coal is till now a cheapest fuel, he said, adding, "Before starting the
construction work, the honorable Prime Minister herself chose this site".
Once the country's largest power plant goes in operation in
full swing, the BCPCL official said, it will be possible to keep electricity
prices at a tolerable level.
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